


unbroken promises

by wildflower (bangtrashsyd)



Series: broduce 101 [10]
Category: JBJ (Band), NU'EST, Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Will Induce War Flashbacks to "to survive", mentions of Justice League Team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-09 08:28:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12272673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bangtrashsyd/pseuds/wildflower
Summary: basically, how Jonghyun returned the Squirtle stuffed toy





	unbroken promises

**Author's Note:**

> who loves Suffering because I Do

Hyunbin picks his offerings carefully. His Squirtle toy goes to Jonghyun, obviously. Susu, the corn, goes to Minhyun, and Berry, the rabbit, goes to Seongwoo. He chooses the obnoxiously hot pink heart shaped one for Jaehwan. The grey cat like pillow was already on Daniel's bed. He refused to return it after the second round of evaluations.

His letters have all been written of couse. Hyunbin had been ready to leave weeks ago. It was only through - what, a miracle? - that some people thought him worthy to stay.

He grew up, he realises. On the first day, he was so  _desperate,_ so intent for success that it hadn't mattered until the very moment auditions started, and he became very, very aware of his weaknesses. The thought had been cemented when he stumbled over his own feet during the audition, sending him promptly to F class.

Even with the demotion, he just couldn't stay focused. Fatigue wore on his mind, and the lack of food going around for the F class trainees didn't help much. 

 _Sorry Sorry_ had been the turning point of the entire show for him. He bucked up, made important friends, and most importantly, stopped thinking about his damned self. He saw enough of Daniel stumbling through choreography, eyes dark and intense, while nursing a cough. He saw enough of Jaehwan's and Seongwoo's ratty socks and discoloured ankles. 

He saw enough how Minhyun and Jonghyun lowered themselves to the ground to teach him all over again. The day Jonghyun grabbed his chin, he made a silent vow. For all the trouble he caused, he would repay. 

"Hyunbin!" Taehyun knocks sharply on the door, and he flinches, looking up. "We have to go, the staff..."

He nods numbly, placing the toys and letters next to everyone's pillows. His hand lingers on the Squirtle, and he flashbacks to just weeks before.

_"I made a promise to you, that I would help you." Jonghyun says, watching him through the mirror. He stands up straighter, on both feet now. "I'm going to show everybody the potential Kwon Hyunbin has. I'm going to make you the best. I'm going to make you shine."_

_I'm sorry, hyung._ He thinks, spinning to drag his luggage out of the room. Taehyun puts a hand on his shoulder, and he turns back to observe his dorm. 

The little table Daniel brought in after  _Sorry Sorry,_ after Jaehwan complained about Hyunbin's cosmetics everywhere ("Well, I don't see you complaining, hyung." Hyunbin snarked, eyeing what was left of his masks on Jaehwan's bed. Jaehwan flushed to his ears and fell silent after that.) was propped up by a bit of paper ripped out from their diaries because one leg was slightly wonky. The neatly folded clothes (Minhyun was permanently on laundry duty) were tucked into the lockers. Hyunbin knows that if he opens the locker with a Wartortle sticker in the front, he will see a bag of snack bars, exactly four hundred of them. (Jonghyun brought them for them to snack on. "It's healthier." He insisted.) Jaehwan's guitar is shoved under his bunk, along with packs of potato chips and chocolate pies. Daniel's cap is still hung over the camera supposed to film their room. Seongwoo's mess is  _everywhere._

"Ready to go?" Sanggyun asks from behind him.

"No." He says, staring at this part of his life he was going to leave behind.

"Me neither." Taehyun agrees under his breath. 

"Let's go, Hyunbin-ie." Yongguk turns him by the elbow, and he looks back to see the door swing shut after him.

 _Justice League!_ is printed underneath the doorknob, and he runs his fingers over the old fashioned black sticker before picking up his duffel bag.

"Let's go." He agrees, and they go home.

 

"Pledis' Kim Jonghyun trainee." Boa announces, voice tinged with a hint of disappointment. Hyunbin sees Jonghyun burst into a smile on screen and lowers his head onto his lap.

He cries, heavily.

Yongguk pats him, trying to calm him down before he draws too much attention, but he's near inconsolable as he shakes into his hands. He hears Jonghyun's voice, positioned carefully to sound grateful and to hide the fact that he  _is_ disappointed. Hyunbin's had that tone angled towards him more times than he'd like to think.  

His mind is just a blur of raw disappointment. There's no other word for it. Pity came close, perhaps Empathy. Hyunbin felt the pain, and when he looks up, Jonghyun is surrounded on all sides in a final hug. Hyunbin looks away from Minhyun's stunned expression, the collapsed grasp of his blazer, the look like his world had crashed down around him. 

When Dongho is eliminated next, neither Minhyun nor Hyunbin are very surprised. 

He manages to clean himself up with a handkerchief his coordinator slipped into his pocket.

 _I hope they are happy tears, if any._ She had said gruffly. He barely registers the final line up of Wanna One before he goes to hug Minhyun. The older is weeping already, and he leaves Seonho to deal with him. He touches Jonghyun's hand, lower lip trembling dangerously, then moves on before he bursts into tears again.

Backstage, he latches onto Daniel and draws tortured breaths between his lips.

"Jonghyun-hyung." He mourns, shaking in the elder's grasp. Daniel holds on.

Minhyun doesn't look any better, face starting to bloat up with the intensity of his crying. Jonghyun is in his lap, combing his hair back and untangling the microphone set from him.

"Hyunbin!" Jonghyun grins, getting of Minhyun. Hyunbin pretends not to see the way Minhyun automatically clutches onto Jonghyun's jacket to keep him from leaving. Jonghyun catches Dongho's eye, jerking his chin towards his bandmate, and Minhyun lets go. "Didn't get to talk to you just now. Good thing I didn't make it in, who's going to keep an eye on you, huh?"

Hyunbin can't help it. He promptly bursts into tears again.

* * *

"You aren't going to go see Jonghyun-hyung?" Donghan asks, tilting his head.

"I don't know." He replies. The last time they met, there had been no mention of the stuffed toy, of the promise, and of the horrible panic attack he got during the finale. Jonghyun had just patted his hand, talked to him like an equal, and just... Been there. He listened quietly as Hyunbin complained about the lack of sleep he was getting, chuckling under his breath and giving him tips on how to practice longer. 

The meeting barely lasted two hours before the NU'EST W manager swept through the door to pull him away. Jonghyun had smiled tiredly and apologetically at him, then waved goodbye.

"We'll see each other soon." He noted, as if it were any consolation, then breezed through the door like a spring rain. Fleeting. Hyunbin had been left sitting at the depths of the PC room, noodles gone completely cold.

He couldn't help but feel like he had been stood up, but Jonghyun-hyung was busy. He understood. The two hours spent together were a blessing already, compared with the 15 minutes Minhyun was allowed to spend with his former group members during the short break before retreating into the Wanna One dorm.

"Should I?" He asks, and Taehyun clucks his tongue.

"You have no choice." He picks an album off the table and herds the boys to the door. "It's industry culture for juniors to give their albums to their seniors. Let's go."

 

His heart hammers in his chest as Minki swings open the door, blinking at them in surprise before spreading his red lips into a large smile.

"Boys!" He enthuses, throwing the door even wider and opening his arms. Taehyun accepts the hug gingerly, choking when Minki hugs too tight. "Congrats on debuting!"

"Thanks, hyung." He grins mischievously. "You too."

Minki rolls his eyes good naturedly and ushers them all in. Rainz is already inside, clustered together on the floor and giggling at something Aron said. Hyunbin's eyes zero in onto Jonghyun, eyes crinkled in amusement and glittering with humour. He tries for a smile, and Jonghyun rises, smiling back. He claps Taehyun on the back, accepts the album with good grace and gives a copy of their own to them. Hyunbin didn't need one, of course. He bought one for himself, and he was very pleased with his JR photocard.

Everyone disperses, with a crowd forming almost immediately around Minki. The elder is magnetic and energetic, and he sees Eunki beam at him with adoration. Jonghyun introduces him to Aron, and they exchange numbers. Aron promises to include him next time they go out with their friends, and he shivers at the thought of meeting  _Amber._ Amazing.

Jonghyun lights up suddenly, and pulls him to a forgotten corner of the room. He grabs his bag from the sofa, ruffling through it in search of something and finally unearths it from the depths of his bag. 

"Here it is!" He cheers, brushing it off and handing it to him. Hyunbin's hands take the object automatically and looks down.

It's the Squirtle toy after all, blue fur a little matted from being squashed.

"He isn't in a very good shape, but I kept him with me all the time." Jonghyun says brightly. Hyunbin feels the threat of tears build behind his eyes and blinks furiously.

It's been... what? Four months? Four months from the last shooting. And yet everything has changed, both for the better and the worse. He swipes carelessly at his face.

"No more of that." Jonghyun says quietly, patting his shoulder. "Come on, Hyunbin-ah. You're an idol now."

He looks up through the blur of nostalgic tears, pressing the toy close to him. He remembers the weight of Daniel's arm across his shoulders, Seongwoo cursing at the Pac Man machine, Minhyun rolling his eyes - _One more time? I'm going to be broke by the end of tonight._ \- and handing out money for him to play. He remembers Jonghyun's face, tight with concentration, the way he whooped after winning the toys and the way his face was taken over by a sudden and childlike  _joy._

He bows to the most important teacher in his career.

"My name is Hyunbin, from JBJ. I just debuted." He tells his shoes. Jonghyun chuckles lightly and he straightens from his bow.

"Hello, Hyunbin. My name is Jonghyun. Our sub-unit NU'EST W just debuted too." 

* * *

 "Today's number one song, NU'EST W, Where You At!" The BTOB members chorus together, and Hyunbin's mouth drops open in shock. Beside him, Taehyun has already started bouncing up and down, and Yongguk looks thrilled. Hyunbin tip toes to look for Jonghyun. They're separated by four rows of artists, and he's grateful for his height as he spots him.

"Um." Jonghyun is speechless, and Hyunbin's throat catches at the thought. He  _always_ had something right to say, something nice, something kind, something professional. The fact that he now had no words...

"Really, thank you." Jonghyun says lamely, and Changsub cuts in as a staff member begins to weave through the crowd to pass the group microphones for the encore stage. Hyunbin smiles.

It's incredibly difficult, he realises, to begin again. However, he takes a good look at the stage: at the roar of the crowd and the lights, the cameras and the staff and the music and the  _people._ He never wants to let it go. Jonghyun looks stunned as he walks slowly off stage, Taehyun holding onto his wrist. They are stopped to remove their microphones, and he takes his time. 

When he looks back, Jonghyun is on his knees and crying.

 _Well done, hyung. You_ deserve _it._

**Author's Note:**

> leave a comment below!! & honestly this was written after seeing jbj debut and I feel like a proud mom watching hyunbin dance in the centre (wipes tear)
> 
> and if any of my fellow writers want to bounce off ideas with me u can find me on Twitter @wildflower_kjh ! I'm a little bored on there so do come!! I'll follow you back if u tell me who u are below ♡


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